The Cricket Deception
by SergeantFuzzyBoots
Summary: The Hofstadter family spends a rainy day in doors while visiting Penny's home in Nebraska. Wyatt also makes an appearance. Lenny Week Day Five: "Smart and Beautiful Babies".


**Day five of Lenny Week! The prompt is "Smart and Beautiful Babies".**** Hope you guys enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one except Chloe and Connor.**

Considering the Hofstadter family had spent the better part of the day outside yesterday feeding the animals, exploring the back fields, sitting on the tractor, and, in Penny and Leonard's daughter's case, riding the some of the horses, Penny was a little surprised that her children were enjoying themselves as much as they were on this rainy day inside. Nine year old Chloe and seven year old Connor were lying on their stomachs on the floor, each staring intently as their grandfather moved a tiny, plastic piece around their game board. From the couch nearby, Leonard and Penny sat together, gazes fixed on their two babies instead of the game, but watching with just as much delight.

"You lose one turn and a retina, Grandpa," Chloe informed the Nebraskan when he'd finished moving his player, holding up the card for him to see.

"A _retina_?" Wyatt repeated, eyes widening as he read the text printed on the card. He turned to look at his daughter, his expression demanding quite clearly, "What the hell kind of games are you letting these kids play?"

Penny simply held her palms up in response. If it had been up to her, Sheldon would not have introduced her children to _Research Lab_. The fun was certainly not real for her whenever she played with Chloe and Connor; she was always in the same confused boat that her father was in now. Penny decided she'd have to teach them to play "Pass the Ace" after dinner since the whole family would be over. The theoretical physics was non-existent, making the fun very real. The blonde might actually be able to win at something against her kids since it was a game of chance. Unless Sheldon found out and taught them how to count cards and calculate the odds ... They needed to find a new babysitter. Or at least make sure Amy was always in charge of planning out the night's activities. Although, as Penny thought it over, that might end up being worse.

"That's your eye," Connor piped up in response to what he thought was his grandfather asking a question.

"It's _part_ of your eye," Wyatt corrected, looking rather proud that he'd been able to teach his grandson something other than how to milk cows this visit.

The boy frowned, turning to look at his parents. "Dad, is that right?"

"What, you don't believe me?" Wyatt asked, continuing to mumble something about needing a doctorate to get any respect.

Leonard smirked. "You can trust Grandpa."

Connor shook his head. "No, I can't. He put a cricket on my shoulder yesterday and didn't tell me!"

"_I_ did that," Chloe said, grinning when her brother's jaw dropped.

"You said it was Grandpa!"

"I out-smarted you," she replied smugly.

"Don't play tricks on your brother, Chloe," Leonard said, to which his daughter gave a reluctant sigh and nodded. She then returned her focus to the game and rolled the dice.

"Oh, let her use some of the smarts she got from me once and awhile," Penny whispered just loud enough for her husband to hear, tipping her head to rest against his chest.

"Neither of them got my curly hair; not letting them play pranks like you did is the trade off for that," he said, slipping an arm around his wife when she swatted at him.

The couple returned to watching their children play. It was true, they hadn't gotten curly hair, inheriting Penny's smooth, tamer locks instead. Chloe had her mother's blonde hair and green eyes, while both Connor's eyes and hair were brown. Except for the fact that their son didn't wear glasses, Leonard and Penny's children looked almost like their parents in miniature. However, the experimental physicist and former waitress' personalities seemed to have blended fairly evenly between their son and daughter, each child showing traits of both their mother and father from time to time, with Chloe's behaviour tending to be more like Leonard's, and Connor's most like Penny's.

The Hofstadter's unconsciously tightened their hold on each other just a little as grins lit up their babies' tiny faces when Wyatt again became perplexed by their favourite game. They were so beautiful, beautiful and smart, and growing moreso each day.


End file.
